


The Endless Horde

by AshWinterGray



Series: WonderBat (but not that one) [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics), Teen Titans - All Media Types, Wonder Woman - All Media Types
Genre: Crime Fighting, F/M, Father-Son Relationship, Fatherhood, Healing, Promises, Slow Build, Worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-14
Updated: 2020-08-14
Packaged: 2021-03-06 07:02:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25889290
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AshWinterGray/pseuds/AshWinterGray
Summary: Over the last two years, Bruce and Diana have kept their promise to The Gentle Man, spending decades with The Endless Horde so that The Gentle Man may see his wife. But when Diana and Bruce are trapped off world with no guarantee either will get back in time, Selina approaches the rest of the Bats.Through much debate, Jason Todd takes Bruce's place, and Donna Troy appears in place of Diana. They're experience is different than their predecessors, but that certainly isn't a bad thing.
Relationships: Diana (Wonder Woman) & Donna Troy, Jason Todd & Bruce Wayne, Jason Todd & Donna Troy, Jason Todd/Donna Troy, Selina Kyle/Bruce Wayne
Series: WonderBat (but not that one) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1883179
Comments: 13
Kudos: 80





	The Endless Horde

**Author's Note:**

> Guess which comic I just read?

Selina balanced Helena on her hip, watching the children that might as well be her own. She had watched them grow up, had seen them fight battles and live their lives. Some had died and come back. They didn’t deserve this. None of them did. But Bruce made a promise to the Gentle Man, and now that time was coming. But Bruce and Diana were off world. And someone needed to keep their promise.

“I’ll go.”

“What, Dick, no, we need you as Batman right now,” Tim protested. “I’ll go.”

“Why I would appreciate your self-sacrifice, Drake. You fight better with a bow-staff than a sword. You would be slaughtered in an instant. But Richard cannot go either. I will go in Father’s place.”

“What? No! Damian, you can’t?”

“And why not?”

“Because that is at least a _decade_ trapped in the body of a child. We don’t even know what we’re up against!”

“I can go.”

“No. Cass. I need you here.”

“I am best. I can fight them. I will survive.”

“That’s not the point, Cass!”

“Will you idiots shut up!”

The entire room quieted as they whipped their heads to Jason. Jason who had been visiting for Tim’s birthday on the younger’s request.

“So, Selina, let me get this straight,” Jason turned to her. “The horde is a never ending mob of monsters that attacks to kill, and our job is to keep them at bay so that this Gentle Man can spend some time with his wife. Bruce and Diana, as the most skilled fighters of the Justice League, made a deal with this guy, and Bruce has even crafted armor for himself so that he can fight the horde.”

“Yes. That’s exactly what happened. And the day for the Gentle Man to come is tomorrow. I think we can all agree that neither will be home in time.”

“Well then it’s settled,” Jason shrugged nonchalantly. “I’ll be going.”

“WHAT!?”

“NO!”

“Master Jason!”

“I go!”

“QUIET! Baby is sleeping!”

“I’m two,” Helena frowned at him. “And not sleeping.”

“Its past your bedtime,” Jason ruffled her hair. Then he turned back to the family. “Honestly, Cass or Dick would probably be the better choice for this, but we need to stop and think for a minute that Bruce thought _armor, real, functioning, medieval armor_ was necessary for this battle. He also seemed to think that none of us needed to get involved. Which means the only armor we currently have available equipped to deal with this won’t fit either of you. So, as the only person roughly the same build as Bruce, the armor is more likely to fit me. Besides, I was trained by main teachers in all different forms of combat. I may not be on Cass’s level, but I could be close enough to Bruce to pull this off.”

The family didn’t like it, but they knew Jason was right.

“Just don’t die,” Tim told him before stalking off.

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

\------------------------------

“Donna.”

“Jason.”

“I thought I’d be going this alone.”

“Unlike your Batman, Diana imparted her fear of being unable to keep this promise to us. I was chosen to go in her stead.”

“Then I apologize you got stuck with me. But I swear to you that I will not betray you again.”

“I will hold you to that.”

Selina watched as Donna and Jason vanished in a flash of gold light.

“Welcome back. She’s waiting for you.”

“Thank you, Ms. Kyle. Though I am confused. Who were the man and woman who came in the stead of Batman and Wonder Woman?”

“They’re stuck off world,” Selina admitted sheepishly. “They were aiming to be back in time, but Troia and Red Hood took their places when it appeared neither would be coming anytime soon.”

“Then I owe them a debt.”

\---------------------------

“JASON!”

Donna could feel the creature trying to crush her ribs, and Jason had just run off. He had sworn not to betray her, and yet he fled. That was a betrayal far worse than the previous one. She would die here. Alone.

The creature released a cry of agony and released her.

“Sorry,” Jason stood over her, a smile on his face. “One of those things knocked my sword away, and I didn’t have the physical strength to get it off you. I had to improvise.”

She could see now. Jason had bashed it’s heart-type-thing with a rock. Likewise, she could see his sword a few feet away, too far away for him to have reached it in time. So he hadn’t abandoned her.

He offered her a hand, and she took it. But rather than help her up, he pulled her into a hold as a groom would his bride. It caused her to flush.

“I saw a cave a short distance from where my sword landed. There were enough of those things that we should be able to make a meal of some sort. Selina said they were edible.”

Donna didn’t protest as Jason carried her to the cave, only pausing to re-sheathed his sword. The battle had only just begun. They would need to be more careful. There was still a decade to come.

\-------------------------

Diana and Bruce gaped at the date. They were late, and it would be at least another six hours before they arrived back on Earth.

“Donna would have taken my place.”

Bruce did not look comfortable with that thought. He walked away from the screen, moving towards a more secluded area and slid off his cowl.

“Bruce?”

“This was not a burden I wanted my children to bear.”

“No. But it was a promise we made.”

Bruce’s head thunked against the wall in a true show of how terrified he was. “Selina would have told them of the promise. She’ll know how important it is. My kids could be in there right now, Diana.”

“You think them incapable?”

“I think they’re reckless. I’d never forgive myself if they got hurt. Or…”

“I think you don’t give them enough credit,” Diana whispered. “You need to trust them, Bruce. If you gave them the chance, they would make you proud.”

“They’re my children, Diana. It doesn’t matter whether or not they make me proud. I just want to know they’re safe. Alive. Happy.”

Diana was silent for a moment. “You are a lucky man, Bruce Wayne, to know such love.”

\-----------------------

“When was the last time we bathed?”

“Maybe three years ago.”

Donna made a face as she ducked under the waterfall once more. The horde really was endless, and they still had so many more years to go. There were still far too many close calls for either of their comfort, but they had lived this long.

“We’re disgusting.”

Jason barked a laugh. They said laughter was the best medicine. Donna wasn’t sure who “they” were, but she didn’t think they were wrong. The horde was coming. It was endless. But Jason was laughing. For that moment, finally washing years’ worth of grime off their bodies, everything was okay. And it would be.

“Here they come.”

“And I just got clean, too. Oh well. Ready?”

“For you, my lady. Always.”

\---------------------

“You and Artemis?”

“It didn’t last long.”

“No, I’m just surprised she opened herself up,” Donna placed a hand on Jason’s shoulder. “She’s obviously madly in love with Diana, but she’s also very closed off with her emotions.”

“You can thank Bizarro for that,” Jason chuckled. “He had a way of getting us to open up. Our feelings included. But we both agreed it would never work.”

“Why not.”

“It just…wasn’t right. I’m not actively looking for a relationship Donna, but if I decided to settle down and get married, it will be to someone I can spend the rest of my life with. Someone who can tolerate me and love me for me.”

“I wish I had thought of that when I married Terry.”

“And Roy?”

“…I don’t know. I loved Roy. But nothing ever felt final with him. Like we were dancing around a love that could have been.”

“That’s what it felt like with Artemis. Nothing ever felt final. We had too many walls between us that no relationship could have ever worked.”

“And how do you get rid of those walls?”

“I don’t know.”

Neither had time to dwell further as the horde began to approach. Taking a stance, the two took to the other, willing to guard their backs. It was a testament to their relationship, the fact that the two could lean on each other like this. They knew, without a second thought, that the other would have their back.

They charged back into their endless battle.

\-----------------------------

“Your eyes.”

Jason frowned at Donna. They were resting in yet another cave, food eaten, baths taken with the cave spring water. They had been silent for some time, just basking in the presence of the other. Jason wasn’t sure he would have survived had Donna not been here with him. He had to give the Gentle Man credit.

“What about them?”

“I thought they were green.”

“They are. Curtesy of the Lazarus Pit. A reminder of my madness.”

“They’re not green anymore.”

“What?”

Jason grabbed one of the sticks from the fire and moved to the pool of water. There was just enough light to catch his reflection. Donna was right. His eyes weren’t green anymore. They were…teal. It was a color Jason never thought he would see again.

“They’re pretty.”

“Yeah…”

“What is it?”

“My eyes aren’t green. So…does that mean…the Pit Madness is gone?”

Donna didn’t have an answer.

\-------------------------------------

“Its endless.”

“Yeah.”

“It hasn’t been long enough, has it.”

“No.”

Donna curled against Jason’s chest. Jason kept his arms wrapped around her. Touch, they had learned, kept them grounded. That, and talking.

“I actually saw Dick way before he was my brother.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. It was the day his parents died, but…my dad took me to see the Flying Graysons. One of the few good memories I have with him, honestly. I admired him, even when he hated me, I couldn’t really hate him. Still love him, honestly. He’s my brother. But he tries way to hard.”

Donna laughed. “He does. He really does.”

“Maybe he just needs a hug.”

“Dick always needs a hug, Jason. You should be sure to give him one when we get back.”

“Okay. Help me remember?”

“Of course.”

\---------------------------

Donna kissed him after one of the rare attacks they got separated. They normally fought their way back to each other, but although they had done that again, it had taken longer this time. They were tired. They needed to rest.

And Donna was kissing him.

It was salty, mixed with tears, both hers and his own mixing in their mouths. Both had spent the years pushing it off. Things they let get in the way always drawing them away from the other. Roy. Anger. Their fears.

But those walls they had always felt had slowly crumbled between them. Jason fell in love for Donna for her flaws as Donna fell in love with Jason for his flaws. The years were blurring together in that kiss.

Jason remembered that one episode of F.R.I.E.N.D.S. (which Steph and Cass forced him to watch), where Joey and Rachel were asking Chandler about dating Monica. What it was like for two best friends to be dating. Jason didn’t think he and Donna could have been called best friends, but Chandler was right. This felt so right.

He had to wonder why he thought it was a good idea to push this off for so long.

\----------------------------

Diana and Bruce landed and instantly made their way to the location where the Gentle Man was supposed to have met them. They beat Selina and the Gentle Man there. Bruce gathered his wife into his arms and kissed her, relieved she had not been the one to take his burden.

It did not quell his fears.

“Who?”

“Forgive me.”

“Who, Selina?”

“Jason. Troia was with him, but Jason was the only one who could wear your armor. He made the choice himself, much to the protest of his siblings.”

“It’s been ten hours,” Bruce breathed.

“I know.”

“And my time is done,” the Gentle Man assured. “I shall return them to you now.”

Bruce would deny the fact that he held his breath as the Gentle Man re-opened the gate. He would deny the cold dread that filled him as he waited. And waited. But then his worry and dread proved to be pointless because as the Gentle Man disappeared, Jason and Donna took his place. Both were back to back, an air about them that Bruce had never seen before.

It took a moment, but Donna and Jason slowly relaxed themselves. They sheathed their weapons and then proceed to lean into each other. It didn’t escape anyone’s notice how the two instantly laced their fingers together.

“B,” Jason nodded at him.

Bruce reached for Jason, and his son instantly fell into his arms. The armor had certainly withheld this fight, but Bruce knew it would still need more adjustments. He was just glad his son was safe.

“Let’s go home.”

“Can Donna come too?”

The request surprised Bruce. He glanced to the woman, noting how Donna had stayed close to Jason, even as Diana fretted over her sister. If Bruce hadn’t been the world’s greatest detective (only matched by Tim) he might have missed how the two were reaching for each other with their bodies.

It was clear that what Bruce and Diana had experienced together was far different than what Jason and Donna had.

“Diana. Donna. Why don’t we all go to the Manor tonight? It’s been…a long time.”

Jason and Donna sagged in relief, and Diana nodded her consent. Then they went home.

Jason gave long hugs to each of his siblings (even the honorary ones), he and Donna spent in hour in the shower (separately), and they practically inhaled what Alfred gave them to eat (because they were sick of eating cooked monster, so sue them). The next morning, however, Dick went in search of his brother and his best friend, only to find them curled up together so tightly, Dick wasn’t sure Superman would be able to pry them apart.

If Donna became a frequent visitor to the Manor, well, Bruce just had to grin and bear it.

**Author's Note:**

> So can you guys do me a favor? I need comic suggestion. Like, what should I read. I can't figure out what to read first. It can be one specific comic or a series.
> 
> Please makes some suggestions in the comments. Please


End file.
